Fire Whiskey
by maddiemazi
Summary: Prequel to 'Take a Deep Breath'. George picks up Scorpius for a night of bonding and helps him make an important decision.


Scorpius, in an incredibly good mood, left the small cottage he had been raised in. His mother had picked him up for the Hogsmeade weekend, bringing him home for a few days. He was thirteen now, and he wondered why so many of the kids in his class complained about their parents. If he could find a single thing he could complain to his friends about his mother, it was that he didn't get to see her enough when he was at school. He walked to the small town nearby, where his mother was to meet him after she finished work to apparate him back to Hogsmeade.

He shoved his hands in his freshly washed and sewn jacket. His Mum made it for him, and he loved it. Most of the Slytherin's had big, expensive cloaks. But his mother had made this coat special for him, and it fit him perfectly. He had ripped it recently and was almost scared she would be mad. Almost. But of course, Romilda never got mad. She just laughed and got him to hold it for her while she sewed it, which he didn't mind doing in the slightest. He wasn't stupid, he knew she couldn't afford the coats the other kids had. But none of their mothers tried as hard as she did. Nobody else worked three jobs just to pay for their son's books and small presents for his birthday. He loved getting the things she could afford for him. It made his heart swell just knowing how hard she worked, then spent it all on him.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he smacked right into the man walking out of a shop towards him. The man was so tall, he almost loomed over the young boy. He looked up to apologize, but his eyes brightened when he saw who it was.

"Dad!" He grinned, wrapping his arms around George and squeezing him tightly, making him laugh. George ran his fingers through the platinum hair and sighed happily. It had been far too long. Almost a week since they'd seen each other, two since they'd talked.

"Hey kiddo. Your Mum was freaking out because she was going to be late. Got called into the book shop. Owled me and here I am. You okay having dinner with me instead of in the Hall at school? I want time with my little man. Not so little any more." He chuckled. Scorpius nodded enthusiastically and George apparated them to Hogsmeade, walking with him past the three broomsticks, crowded with people, and into the Hog's Head, nearly empty.

"Would you like a Fire Whiskey? I won't tell your mother." George smiled at him, and Scorp cocked his head. He wasn't one to go behind his mother's back, but he was curious.

"Can I have a sip of yours if you get one?"

George laughed. "Of course you can. But only if you come up with me to order. I don't like it, to be honest, but I'll get a little one for us to share."

Scorpius laughed and followed George up to the counter and ordered a Butterbeer. George took out his wallet and a somewhat provocative picture of his mother fell out, making both males go scarlet. Rom was waving at the two, attempting to keep her bikini top covering her, as it was undone as the moving picture swayed with the waves. She was laughing and carefree, attempting to stay decent for her best friend and son's sakes. George handed his wallet to Scorp and chuckled a bit awkwardly.

"In my defense, at least she's smiling for that one. And she knew I was taking it." He watched Scorpius flip through the pictures, mostly of himself and Romilda. Mother and son. Even a baby picture of Scorpius in his wallet. One of Romilda in the hospital, holding him for the first time with George laying in the bed beside them, arm around her, watching over them. Before Scorpius realized what he was saying, his thoughts were spoken aloud.

"Did you always love her?"

George flushed again. Was it really that obvious? "Yes and no." He answered honestly. "I loved her from the moment I met her when she was four. But she crept up on me personality wise. She is so… addictive. Far worse than drugs. Never love a girl Scorp. It's torture." He tried to joke.

Scorpius smiled to himself. So that's who George loved. Not his string of lovers at school. But his lonely, bullied mother back at home.

"And why don't you tell her you love her, Daddy?" He asked quietly, looking up at him. George felt a rush of pride and guilt from the name.

"Because if she doesn't feel the same way I don't want to ruin the relationship we have already. And the relationship between you and I."

"And what if she does? You know how excited she is when you just randomly show up with dinner. You know how many pictures of you she has. You've seen the scrapbook she's starting. It's full of you. Even if she doesn't love you like that, she can't live without you, and you know that."

"When you'd get so Worldly wise? Got a girlfriend I don't know about?" He chuckled softly. "But I suppose you're right."

"Yeah yeah. I don't need a girlfriend when I've got Mum. Though maybe Ava… Don't give me that look, you know I'm joking!" He chuckled. "Tell her all the reasons you love her. It'll make her melt. Trust me."

"Yeah, you're right. Like a speech."

"Exactly. I'll help!" Scorpius grinned. The pair sat down and brainstormed the night away together. The boys only got a few hours of sleep in the inn before walking back to school early in the morning, Scorpius parting his father to head to the Slytherin common rooms, while George made his way up to the Gryffindor tower.

He didn't go to class. He was too nervous. He sat at his window and watched the school below him, quietly, until three very familiar people danced their way by. A black haired girl, her air of superiority felt even from hundreds of feet up in the air. The platinum haired boy who seemed to keep hesitating to grab hands with the girls. And the petite raven-haired girl, whom his eyes kept gravitating towards. His Romilda. Even with her being the size of his nail from that distance, his heart skipped a beat, watching her. He had to avert his eyes when she changed, which was really just taking off an oversized shirt. Was that his shirt? He couldn't tell, but it wasn't like he minded. He just didn't want her to feel violated by him. He turned his eyes back after a few minutes and watched the three play in the water for a little while, splashing, running and hugging. Once they got out, he waited a good half hour before heading over to the girl's dorms through the attic. Good old Marauders' map showed all kinds of passages.

He knew better than to knock. He'd get a lecture about how he should know that no matter what she was doing, he'd have seen her do worse. So he just slipped in quietly and asked softly.

"Arvie? Are you busy or can we take a walk?"


End file.
